mperor
Anastasius, your uncle Justinus, and, later, you yourself, acknowledged
him and his kingdom."

"That was under the pressure of necessity. Now that they are in need,
and I the stronger, I revoke that acknowledgment."

"That is exactly what I call unjust."

"You are blunt and disagreeable, Tribonianus, and a tough disputant.
You are excellently fitted to compile my pandects. I will never again
ask your advice in politics. What has justice to do with politics?"

"Justice, Justinianus, is the best policy."

"Bah! Alexander and Caesar thought differently."

"But, first, they never completed their work; and, secondly----"

He stopped.

"Well, secondly?"

"Secondly, you are not Caesar, nor are you Alexander."

All were silent. After a pause, the Emperor said quietly:

"You are very frank, Tribonianus."

"Always, Justinianus."

The Emperor quickly turned to the third of his advisers:

"Well, what is your opinion, Narses?"

CHAPTER XIII.

Narses was a stunted little man, considerably shorter than Justinian,
for which reason the latter stooped, when speaking with him, much more
than was necessary. He was bald, his complexion a sickly yellow, his
right shoulder higher than his left, and he limped a little on the left
foot, supporting himself upon a stick with a golden crutch. But his
eagle eye was so commanding, that it annulled any disagreeable
impression made by his insignificant figure, and lent to his plain
countenance the consecration of intellectual greatness, while the
expression of painful resignation and cool superiority about his mouth
had even a singular charm. When addressed by the Emperor, Narses
quickly banished from his lips a cold smile, which had been excited by
the jurist's moral politics, and raised his head.

"Emperor," he said, in a sharp, decided voice, "I would dissuade you
from this war--for the present."

The Emperor bit his lips in vexation.

"Also from reasons of justice?" he asked, almost sarcastically.

"I said: for the present."

"Why?"

"Because what is necessary precedes what is pleasant. He who has to
defend his own house should not break into strange dwellings."

"What does that mean?"

"It means, that no danger threatens your empire from the West, from the
Goths. The enemy who can, and perhaps will, destroy it, comes from the
East."

"The Persians!" cried Justinian contemptuously.

"Since when," interposed Belisarius, "sin